Glory Road brought me back to my southern roots, complete with a porch swing and sweet tea. I love the feeling this book evoked. The author, Laura Denton, has a way of making a reader actually discover the comfort waiting for you down the dirt road leading back home.
Jessie returns home after a troubled life. She finds refuge for herself and her teenage daughter in her childhood home on Glory Road. The story of the family members are told beautifully in three POVs. Each chapter is titled with a name, but I didn't need it because every character's "voice" rang clear. I was never lost in the the telling of this story.
Jessie, a proud owner of a plant shop with a clever name, Twig, savors hard work and routine after her rocky marriage and divorce. She's raising her daughter, Evan, and their relationship is a beautiful thing to behold. ( I fell in love with this teenage girl.)
Evan is at the brink of starting high school, and dealing with newfound feelings for a guy down the red dirt road. A bit of lovesickness and friendship rolled into a confusing ball leaves her confused. This teenager is close to both her mother and grandmother, and I love the open communication they share.
Gus, a funny name that fits the spit-fire grandmother of Evan, and Momma of Jessie, stole the show in many scenarios. I laughed out loud several times at her antics and sharp tongue. Gus tries to hide an issue which frightens her, but when it becomes a blaring problem, she must finally accept help. This is a hard thing to do for such an independent woman, but it is well told, and believable.
The secondary characters are well-developed. The varying challenges force all to break out of their comfort zones. You will savor this story with its Southern charm. I didn't want this book to end. This novel is one of the very few that I will read again, and again to relive the feeling of home, trust and family dynamics. Don't miss out on this wonderful read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Net Galley. Opinions expressed are my own.
5 stars
